Bone replacement material comprising crystalline and X-ray amorphous phases

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to an X-ray amorphous-crystalline material with high solubility which can be used as a bioactive bone replacement material and as a substrate material in biotechnology. The new material comprising crystalline and X-ray amorphous phases is characterized in that according to  31 P-NMR measurements, it contains Q 0 -groups of orthophosphate and Q 1 -groups of diphosphate, the ortho-phosphates or Q 0 -groups making up 70 to 99.9% by weight relative to the total phosphorus content of the finished material and the diphosphates or Q 1 -groups making up 0.1 to 30% by weight relative to the total phosphorus content of the finished material, and that according to X-ray diffractometric measurements and relative to the total weight of the finished material, 30 to 99.9% by weight of a main crystal phase consisting of Ca 2 K 1−x Na 1+x (PO 4 ) 2 , where x=0.1 to 0.9, is contained in the bone replacement material and 0.1 to 20% by weight of a substance selected from the group consisting of Na 2 CaP 2 O 7 , K 2 CaP 2 O 7 , Ca 2 P 2 O 7  and mixtures thereof is contained as a secondary crystal phase, the X-ray amorphous phases contained besides the main crystal phase jointly making up 0.1 to 70% by weight relative to the total weight of the finished material.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an X-ray amorphous-crystalline material with high solubility which can be used both as a bioactive bone replacement material, e.g. in the form of a coating applied onto metallic prosthesis sticks by thermal spraying or by rf sputtering, and as a substrate material in biotechnology, especially in tissue engineering, e.g. in the form of a ceramic sheet or of a compact or porous, i.e. spongiosa-like, scaffold-like, moulded body. The invention also relates to a manufacturing method.

1. Description of the Related Art

In principle, inorganic materials which are easily resorbed are known. Materials which are specifically used as bioactive bone replacement materials and dissolve quickly have also been described in the relevant literature. For example, there have been numerous publications dedicated to the successful clinical use of ceramic materials the main crystal phases of which are alpha- or beta-tricalcium phosphate (TCP). In addition, there have been comparative analyses of these two TCP phases using animal tests. It is known from EP 237043 that granulated materials made of alpha-TCP contain dicalcium phosphate on their surface, whose solubility was higher than that of the pure alpha-PCT core material, especially in the initial phase following an implantation.

The chemical solubility of the aforesaid granulated materials was surpassed by other bioactive materials based on calcium phosphates which in addition contain oxides of potassium, sodium, magnesium and/or silicon (EP 541564 B1) and the glassy-crystalline material of which is based on the following main crystal phases: Phase X, rhenanite, phase according to Ando (Phase A) and/or mixed crystals derived from the aforesaid phases.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The object of the invention is to provide an X-ray amorphous-crystalline material which enables a substantially direct joining of bones without connective tissue and/or the ex vivo cultivation of bone cells, and which dissolves in contact with bone tissue, and which at the same time has high solubilities which are adjustable in a more precise manner and, in the case of composite materials, coefficients of expansion adapted to certain steels. Another object of the invention is to develop a method for manufacturing the aforesaid material as well as manufacturing aids.

According to the invention, the bone replacement material consists of crystalline and X-ray amorphous phases and contains:

-   -   according to ³¹P-NMR measurements, Q₀-groups of orthophosphate         and Q₁-groups of diphosphate, the orthophosphates or Q₀-groups         making up 70 to 99.9% by weight relative to the total phosphorus         content of the finished material and the diphosphates or         Q₁-groups making up 0.1 to 30% by weight relative to the total         phosphorus content of the finished material, and     -   wherein according to X-ray diffractometric measurements and         relative to the total weight of the finished material, 30 to         99.9% by weight of a main crystal phase consisting of         Ca₂K_(1−x)Na_(1+x)(PO₄)₂, where x=0.1 to 0.9, is contained and         0.1 to 20% by weight of a substance selected from the group         consisting of Na₂CaP₂O₇, K₂CaP₂O₇, Ca₂P₂O₇ and mixtures thereof         is contained as a secondary crystal phase, and     -   wherein the X-ray amorphous phases contained besides the main         crystal phase jointly make up 0.1 to 70% by weight relative to         the total weight of the finished material.

The secondary crystal phase is preferably made up of diphosphates, but one or more of the substances NaPO₃, KPO₃ and mixtures thereof can also be contained, the chain phosphates NaPO₃ and KPO₃ being detectable as Q₂-groups according to ³¹P-NMR measurements. The chain phosphates are contained in an amount ranging between 0.1 and 10% by weight, preferably 0.1 and 4% by weight.

Further, the secondary phase may contain a silicate phase in an amount ranging up to 6% by weight, corresponding to the SiO₂ content.

The aforesaid main crystal phase and the constituents of the secondary crystal phase may contain magnesium in an amount ranging up to 10% by weight, calculated as MgO and relative to the weight of the finished material.

The orthophosphate phase represented by Q₀-groups preferably makes up 75 to 99% by weight, particularly 78 to 95% by weight.

The diphosphate phase represented by Q₁-groups preferably makes up 1 to 22% by weight, particularly 5 to 16% by weight.

The composition of the X-ray amorphous-crystalline material with high solubility which is based on CaO, P₂O₅, Na₂O, K₂O, MgO and optionally SiO₂ ranges between (in % by weight):

30 and 55 P₂O₅; 5 and 50 CaO; 1 and 20 Na₂O; 0.5 and 20 K₂O; 0 and 13 MgO; 0 and 10 SiO₂; MgO or SiO₂ or a mixture thereof making up at least 1% by weight.

A preferred X-ray amorphous-crystalline material is composed as follows (in % by weight): 35 to 48 P₂O₅, 28 to 38 CaO, 2.5 to 15 Na₂O, 1.5 to 18 K₂O, 0.1 to 4 MgO, 0.0 to 3 SiO₂. A special preferred embodiment contains 40 to 52 P₂O₅, 28 to 33 CaO, 8.5 to 13 Na₂O, 9.5 to 15 K₂O, 1.5 to 3 MgO, 0.1 to 4 SiO₂.

In general, the term “X-ray amorphous-crystalline” material used herein cannot be clearly defined. “X-ray amorphous” as used herein refers to a material whose structure cannot be determined using standard XRD (X-ray diffractometry). The undetectable areas can be very small organized areas (micro-crystalline) as well as statistically unorganized areas. Unlike XRD, the ³¹P-NMR results can be used to detect the existence of any crystalline phase. Therefore quantitative estimates based on NMR and XRD results can be rather different. In the present case, this phenomenon seems to be particularly true of the diphosphate and chain phosphate contents; as a rule, ³¹P-NMR measurements yield considerably higher contents than XRD. In some cases, no contents at all are found using XRD. This impressively shows why ³¹P-NMR measurements are an essential prerequisite for characterizing and finally manufacturing the materials according to the invention. XRD measuring was made with PW 1710, Philipps, NL (CuK radiation).

Both crystalline and X-ray amorphous phases can therefore be provided in a thoroughly mixed state. It is of no importance for the present invention whether one phase is located adjacent to the other or one phase encloses the other. The term “main crystal phase” as used herein refers to a crystalline phase which is detected using X-ray diffraction and is contained in at least twice the amount of a secondary phase, concentrations of 20% and below, preferably below 15% by weight, being referred to as secondary phases.

For the sake of clarity, it must be pointed out that “Ca₂KNa(PO₄)₂” can certainly be identified as main crystal phase. However, there are shifts of intensity in the individual compositions, which may be rather substantial in some cases, due to the varying ratio of sodium to potassium or the inclusion of other ions (e.g. Mg²⁺ or SiO₄ ⁴⁻) so that the formula “Ca₂K_(1−x)Na_(1+x)(PO₄)₂, where x=0.1-0.9” is to be used. Higher Na contents are preferred, e.g. x=0.2-0.9.

Surprisingly, solubility has been found to be particularly high if the product obtained by the melting process contains in particular crystalline diphosphates such as Na₂CaP₂O₇, K₂CaP₂O₇ and/or Ca₂P₂O₇ or even a majority of X-ray amorphous diphosphates besides the main crystal phases and X-ray amorphous orthophosphates. Further, it was surprisingly found that the aforesaid statement can be clearly quantified using ³¹P-NMR measurements.

The ³¹P-NMR measurements, which were carried out using a superconductive Fourier NMR spectrometer known as Avance DMX400 WB and manufactured by Bruker BioSpin GmbH (Germany), showed that the material consists of 70 to 99.9% by weight orthophosphate of calcium and in some cases orthophosphate of sodium, potassium and magnesium, wherein the aforesaid orthophosphate content is determined using ³¹P-NMR measurements of Q₀-groups and refers to crystalline and/or X-ray amorphous material in its entirety. In addition, 0.1 to 30% by weight diphosphate of calcium and in some cases diphosphate of sodium, potassium and magnesium was found, wherein the aforesaid diphosphate content can be reliably determined using ³¹P-NMR measurements (Q₁-groups) and refers to crystalline and/or X-ray amorphous material in its entirety.

Further, it is advantageous that 0.1 to 10% by weight chain phosphate consisting of sodium phosphate or potassium phosphate or both be contained, wherein this chain phosphate content represented by Q₂-groups is reliably determined by means of ³¹P-NMR measurements and refers in particular to amorphous and, as the case may be, crystalline material in its entirety. In addition, 0.1 to 10% by weight of a silicate phase may be contained, depending upon the amount of SiO₂ added. Moreover, Ca₅Na₂(PO₄)₄ may be contained, although this is not preferred.

Further, it has surprisingly been found that the desired effect, i.e. a considerably improved solubility, is brought about by the presence of diphosphates and/or chain phosphates, preferably diphosphates, as will be demonstrated in Example 3.

The diphosphate contents result from a comparatively high phosphate content relative to the other constituents. The aforesaid phosphate content could also be the reason why the compositions according to the invention melt very easily yielding a rather fluid melt compared to known resorbable materials. Such a low-viscosity melt has the advantage that it has a better processability. That is the case for a frit of the melt or a direct blowing of the melt etc.

Further, it has surprisingly been found that due to the presence of diphosphates the ion discharge behaviour of the material (the X-ray amorphous-crystalline material), which in the beginning shows a strong alkaline reaction, changes more pronouncedly towards physiological pH values (7.4) than that of materials not containing diphosphate, provided the material was stored in deionized water. Due to this shift in pH values, the material is also of interest to biotechnology, in particular to tissue engineering.

The aforesaid feature can be enhanced by boiling a (compact or open-pore) moulded body in deionized water (37-90° C.) thus leaching its surface so that the material or moulded body treated in this way has considerably lower pH values once the treatment is finished. This phenomenon could be put down to a reduction of the alkaline cations in the area near the surface of the material. The aforesaid process can be accelerated by boiling the material in a reactor, advantageously at a pressure of up to 10 bars. Such an embodiment of the invention is preferred.

It is an advantageous feature of the material according to the invention that its solubility can be adjusted within relatively wide ranges, depending upon the selected composition; specifically, the total solubility can range between 30 and 500 μg/mg relative to the starting material if the test is carried out in 0.2M TRIS-HCl buffer solution at pH=7.4, T=37° C. using a grain size fraction of 315-400 μm, the duration of the test being 120 h and the ratio of weighed-in sample to buffer solution being 50 mg to 40 ml.

The material according to the invention is manufactured by combining the substances suitable for preparing the mixture to be melted, their concentrations (relative to the total weight of the material) being in the range of 30-55% by weight CaO, 35-50% by weight P₂O₅, 1-20% by weight Na₂O, 0.5-20% by weight K₂O and 0.1-5% by weight MgO and optionally up to 5% by weight SiO₂, and melting them at between 1,550 and 1,650° C. in a suitable crucible material, e.g. consisting of a Pt/Rh alloy, using multistage thermal treatment programmes including holding stages in the range between 200 and 1,500° C., namely 1-2 h at 350-400° C., 750-850° C. and 950-1,050° C., e.g. 1 h at 400, 800 and 1,000° C. respectively. The melt is poured, preferably following a holding time of between 10 and 60 min, and once the mass has solidified it is cooled down to room temperature in air (spontaneous cooling) or in a cooling furnace using a temperature-controlled cooling process, e.g. at a rate of 1 to 20 degrees/min, depending upon its intended use. The melt can also be blown thus directly forming the melt into spherical granules. In both cases, a spontaneous crystallization process takes place while the melt cools down. The mixture to be melted may comprise oxides, carbonates, hydrogen phosphates and/or ortho-phosphoric acid. The ³¹P-NMR measurements yield different spectra allowing conclusions as to the raw materials used or indicating small amounts of iron oxides or manganese oxides contained therein. Preferred melting temperatures range between 1,590 and 1,650° C.

Once the material has cooled down, it is granulated and used as a bone replacement material, but it can e.g. also be ground, mixed with commonly used sintering aids and be isostatically pressed into moulded bodies in order to obtain a densely fired ceramic body after sintering. In general, the sintering temperatures range between 900 and 1,200° C.

Alternatively, the material manufactured according to the invention can e.g. be ground, mixed with commonly used sintering aids and processed into a slurry which is then applied onto a polyurethane sponge and sintered in several sintering stages at such high temperatures that the polyurethane sponge and the sintering aids are burnt completely and a spongiosa-like body is obtained the main crystalline constituents of which are Ca₂K_(x−1)Na_(x+1)(PO₄)₂(x=0.1-0.9) and Na₂CaP₂O₇, K₂CaP₂O₇, Ca₂P₂O₇ and/or mixed crystals in between these phases.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, some of the raw materials used are melted separately in order to obtain a glass which acts as a sintering aid and can be used for the production of the spongiosa-like bodies in a particularly advantageous manner. The aforesaid glass is ground and can be added to the slurry consisting of the material according to the invention which has been ground following the melting and cooling processes and then processed into a slurry. The glass melted separately can be added to the slurry in an amount ranging between 0.5 and 15, preferably 4-8% by weight, relative to the amount of solid matter contained therein, providing, however, that the individual components are not contained in the composition in larger amounts than those indicated in the invention. Such a glass can in particular be produced on the basis of SiO₂, MgO and Na₂O.

In this embodiment, the sintering process leads to a very solid structure of the moulded body, whereas parts of the moulded body may crumble away if all components are melted together and then sintered. The glass melted separately has a grain size D₅₀ ranging between 0.7 and 7 μm when being added to the ground material, whose grain size is similar or larger.

Therefore the present invention also relates to a glass used as a sintering aid for resorbable materials containing calcium phosphates with the exception of tri-calcium phosphate, which glass is characterized by the following chemical composition in % by weight:

SiO₂: 68-78, preferably 73-78, particularly 74-75 MgO: 5-12, preferably 8-11, particularly 8.5-10 Na₂O: 12-27, preferably 12-19, particularly 14.5-17 K₂O: 0-22, preferably 0-5 P₂O₅: 0-20, preferably 0-10.

Another processing option consists in grinding the material, adding commonly used sintering aids and processing the slurry obtained in this way into a sheet which has an open-pore structure once the firing process is finished.

Advantageously, the material according to the invention can also be provided in combination with a metallic implant surface. The material's coefficient of expansion ranges between 12 and 18×10⁻⁶ K⁻¹, measured using a dilatometer (silica glass pushrod dilatometer (Kieselglas-Schubstangen-Dilatometer) manufactured by Netzsch Gerätebau GmbH, Germany), so that an adaption to known steels, e.g. chromium-cobalt-molybdenum steels having similar coefficients of expansion, is particular advantageous.

The present invention also relates to the use of the X-ray amorphous-crystalline material according to the invention for manufacturing granulated materials, ceramic bodies or ceramic sheets.

The invention will hereinafter be explained by means of examples. All percentages are by weight unless indicated otherwise.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1: shows ³¹P-MAS-NMR spectra of the materials GA 1, GA 2 and GA 3 according to the invention, whose composition corresponds to Example 1 and whose phases correspond to Example 5 (MAS=Magic Angle Spinning);

FIG. 2: shows the ³¹P-MAS-NMR spectra of the materials GA 4 and GA 5 according to the invention, whose composition corresponds to Example 2 and whose phases correspond to Example 5.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION EXAMPLE 1

The following materials were synthesized according to the amounts indicated in the table in % by weight:

Code CaO MgO P₂O₅ Na₂O K₂O SiO₂ GA 1 30.67 2.45 43.14 9.42 14.32 0.00 GA 2 29.92 2.39 44.53 9.19 13.97 0.00 GA 3 29.21 2.33 45.85 8.97 13.64 0.00

To facilitate understanding, this melting process can also be described as follows: GA 1; GA 2 (=GA 1+2,5% P₂O₅); GA 3 (=GA 1+5% P₂O₅).

The mixtures to be melted were weighed in as follows:

85% CaCO₃ MgO H₃PO₄ Na₂CO₃ K₂CO₃ SiO₂ Code In g in g in ml in g in g in g GA 1 54.4 2.45 41.48 16.11 21.01 0 GA 2 53.40 2.39 42.82 15.72 20.50 0 GA 3 52.13 2.33 44.09 15.34 20.01 0

First, the components comprising calcium, magnesium, sodium and potassium and optionally silicon, are weighed in. Once the weighing-in process is finished, each mixture is mixed in a tumbling mixer for one hour. Then the 85% ortho-phosphoric acid is added to the mixture, the mixture is thoroughly ground in a mortar, stirred and dried at 100° C. for one hour, ground in a mortar again and stored once more in a drying chamber at 100° C. for one hour. Subsequently, the mixture was once again ground in a mortar, filled into a Pt/Rh crucible and heated up to 400° C., at which temperature it was held for one hour, then heated up to 800° C., at which temperature it was again held for one hour, and then heated up to 1,000° C., at which temperature it was also held for one hour. The sinter cake produced in this way was cooled in air and ground in a mortar again in order to make it more homogeneous. The pretreated mixture was then filled into a platinum crucible and heated up to 1,600° C. in a melting furnace. Once the aforesaid temperature had been reached, the melt was maintained at this temperature for half an hour. The low-viscosity, homogeneous melts were then poured onto a steel plate and pressed using a second steel plate so that a salt-like solidified plate was obtained. The crystallization taking place during this stage gives an opaque, white colour to the bodies obtained by the melting process.

EXAMPLE 2

Following the same production procedure as described in Example 1, i.e. preparing a mixture of calcium carbonate, sodium carbonate, potassium carbonate and orthophosphoric acid, the following compositions were synthesized according to the amounts indicated in the table in % by weight:

Code CaO MgO P₂O₅ Na₂O K₂O SiO₂ GA 4 31.54 1.19 42.37 9.17 13.95 1.78 GA 5 30.79 1.16 43.74 8.95 13.62 1.73

Low-viscosity melts were obtained for all compositions, which melts spontaneously crystallized when being cooled. The crystallization products had a white colour.

EXAMPLE 3

Another manufacturing option consists, inter alia, in that the amount of phosphorus or phosphate may be brought in by means of a calcium carrier, either in its entirety or, as in the present example, in part. The following composition was synthesized according to the amounts indicated in the table in % by weight:

Code CaO MgO P₂O₅ Na₂O K₂O SiO₂ GA 1 30.67 2.45 43.14 9.42 14.32 0.00

The mixture to be melted was weighed in as follows:

Magnesium hydroxide 85% CaCO₃ carbonate H₃PO₄ Na₂CO₃ K₂CO₃ CaHPO₄ Code in g in g in ml in g in g in g GA 1 0.00 5.13 4.25 16.11 21.00 74.43

The mixture to be melted was weighed in according to the amounts indicated above, mixed in a tumbling mixer for one hour, phosphoric acid was added, the mixture was dried at 100° C. for one hour, cooled in air and ground in a mortar. The mixture obtained in this way was filled into a platinum crucible, placed in a furnace which had been preheated to 450° C. and held at this temperature for 6 hours, and was then placed in a furnace which had been preheated to 800° C. and held at this temperature for 16 hours. The crucible was taken out and the furnace was preheated to 950° C. The crucible was then held in the furnace preheated to 950° C. for 6 hours. Subsequently, the sample was heated up to 1,600° C. and held at this temperature for half an hour. The low-viscosity, homogeneous melt was then poured onto a steel plate and pressed using a second steel plate so that a salt-like solidified plate was obtained. The crystallization taking place during this stage gives an opaque, white colour to the bodies obtained by the melting process. A discoloration can be observed, depending upon the CaHPO₄ component used and undesirable amounts of iron and/or manganese contained therein.

It is also possible to directly quench the melt in a water bath once the melting process (1,600° C., 0.5 h) is finished (fritting) in order to facilitate the further comminution of the product obtained by the melting process if it is to be further processed in the form of a slurry.

EXAMPLE 4

The samples according to Example 1 and selected samples according to Example 2 (see the following table) were used to produce granulated materials having a grain size ranging between 315 μm and 400 μm in order to determine solubility. The solvent used was 0.2M TRIS-HCl buffer solution with a pH value of 7.4 and at a temperature of 37° C. The analyzed amount was 50 mg using 40 ml solvent. The granulated materials were stored at 37° C. for a period of 120 h. Subsequently, the total solubility was determined by determining the individual ions (of Ca, Mg, P, Na, K) in the solution by means of an ICP measurement:

Solubility Code [μg/mg] GA 1 95 ± 8 GA 2 134 ± 16 GA 3 221 ± 22 GA 4 90 ± 8 GA 5 152 ± 10

EXAMPLE 5

³¹P-MAS-NMR spectra of the samples according to Example 1 and Example 2 were recorded with a waiting time of 120 s between the individual pulses. The samples rotated at a speed of 12.5 kHz.

The quantitative composition of the samples as regards their phosphate content is indicated in the following table:

Chain phosphate Orthophosphate Diphosphate content content content [predominantly [(PO₄)³⁻] [(P₂O₇)²⁻] (PO₃)¹⁻ Code in % in % in % GA 1 99.5-96 0.5-4 — GA 2 88 12 — GA 3 79 21 — GA 4 95  5 — GA 5 89 11 —

The range indicated for the composition GA 1 is based on the analysis of three batches one of which was synthesized according to the manufacturing method described in Example 3, whereas only one sample was analysed for each of the other compositions.

EXAMPLE 6

In the zirconium oxide bowl (250 ml) of a planetary mill, the product obtained by the melting process having a composition according to code GA 1 was ground two times for 20 min. The result is shown in the following table.

D₅₀ value Code [in μm] GA 1 6.50

EXAMPLE 7

The ground GA 1 sample according to Example 6 is to be processed into “scaffolds”. For this purpose, a slurry was produced by combining 100 g of the ground material with 45 g of a mixture consisting of 90% polyethylene glycol and 10% of a commercially available surface-active agent and adding 5 ml isopropyl alcohol. The slurry obtained in this way is applied onto open-pore PUR sponges (PUR=polyurethane) whose porosity ranges between 80 and 20 ppi (pores per inch) by repeatedly immersing and squeezing the sponges, dried overnight in a drying chamber at 120° C. and then slowly heated up to 1,000° C. at a rate of 10° C. per minute. The result is a spongiosa-like material the structure of which resembles that of the sponge used, while the PUR sponge has burnt completely.

EXAMPLE 8

In order to further increase the strength of the spongiosa-like bodies, 3% by weight of a previously produced glass having a chemical composition of (in % by weight) 74.97 SiO₂, 9.22 MgO and 15.81 Na₂O (melted as 27.04 Na₂CO₃) and a D₅₀ value of 6.56 μm was added to the ground material according to GA 1 as a sintering aid. Then a slurry was produced by combining 100 g of this powder mixture with 45 g of a mixture consisting of 90% polyethylene glycol and 10% of a commercially available surface-active agent and adding 5 ml isopropyl alcohol. The slurry obtained in this way is applied onto open-pore PUR sponges whose porosity ranges between 80 and 20 ppi (pores per inch) by repeatedly immersing and squeezing the sponges, dried overnight in a drying chamber at 120° C. and then slowly heated up to 1,000° C. at a rate of 10° C. per minute. The result is a spongiosa-like material the structure of which resembles that of the sponge used, while the PUR sponge has burnt completely.

EXAMPLE 9

Samples according to Example 1 and Example 2 were produced and analyzed by means of ³¹P-NMR measurements. The ³¹P-MAS-NMR spectra were recorded with a waiting time of 120 s between the individual pulses. The samples rotated at a speed of 12.5 kHz.

As a result, it can be shown that in the case of the samples GA 1 through GA 3 (cf. FIG. 1), whose only chemical difference consists in the increasing phosphate content, this increased phosphate content is reflected in an X-ray amorphous-crystalline diphosphate content in the product obtained by the melting process, which also dramatically influenced solubility (cf. Example 4). This applies analogously to the samples GA 4 and GA 5 (cf. FIG. 2).

In the spectra shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the left (broader) peaks indicate the Q₀-groups and the right (narrower) peaks the Q₁-groups.

EXAMPLE 10

Material composed according to code GA 1 was freshly ground, 1 g of a grain size fraction <45 μm was added into 100 ml E-pure water, and the pH value was determined after 1 min and after 72 h. The result was 10.55 after one minute and 8.71 after 72 hours, i.e. a clear change towards physiological conditions could be observed.

EXAMPLE 11

In order to enhance this effect a priori, the following experiment was carried out: A spongiosa-like body was produced according to Example 7, i.e. the composition according to code GA 1 was applied onto a PUR sponge and sintered, except that the sponge used in the present example had a porosity of 30 ppi.

The moulded body obtained in this way, whose outer dimensions were approx. 11 mm×11 mm×7 mm, was immersed in 100 ml E-pure water and the pH value was measured after 10 min. The measured value was 9.62.

Subsequently, the moulded body was eluted in E-pure water at 60° C. and a pressure of 3 bars for one hour. The moulded body was then rinsed 5 times in 20 ml fresh E-pure water, immersed in 100 ml E-pure water again, and a pH value of 8.83 was measured after 1 hour.

This demonstrates that the pretreatment of spongiosa-like bodies described above is a useful activity as products pretreated in this way have a lower basicity, which can be advantageous both for implantation in vivo and for tissue engineering ex vivo or in vitro.

EXAMPLE 12

An important feature with regard to the coating of materials with the resorbable materials according to the invention consists in that the thermal coefficient of expansion can be varied, bearing in mind e.g. that this coefficient is approx. 8∘10⁻⁶K⁻¹ for titanium implants and approx. 14−16∘10⁻⁶K⁻¹ for Co—Cr—Mo steels (depending upon the constituents of the alloy). In order to obtain a composite material which is optimally suited to its intended use, the temperature range in which the material is applied onto the metallic substrate must be carefully selected as in this way the substrate can be subjected to compressive strain, i.e. to preheating, in a targeted manner during the coating process thus obtaining a composite material which in general is regarded as mechanically more stable.

The following table shows some of the possible variations:

CE₃₀₋₁₀₀ CE_(RT**400) CE₅₀₋₄₀₀ Sample (10⁻⁶ K⁻¹) (10⁻⁶ K⁻¹) (10⁻⁶ K⁻¹) GA 1 12.15 14.84 15.14 GA 2 13.64 17.16 17.54 GA 3 13.21 16.99 17.45 GA 4 12.51 15.85 16.20 GA 5 13.29 16.69 17.08

In the table, CE₃₀₋₁₀₀ is the coefficient of expansion between 30 and 100° C., CE_(RT**400) is the coefficient of expansion between room temperature (25) and 400° C., and and AK₅₀₋₄₀₀ is the coefficient of expansion between 50 and 400° C. 

1. A bone replacement material comprising crystalline and X-ray amorphous phases, characterized in that a) according to ³¹P-NMR measurements, the bone replacement material comprises Q₀-groups of orthophosphate and Q₁-groups of diphosphate, the orthophosphates or Q₀-groups making up 70 to 99.9% by weight relative to the total phosphorus content of the finished material and the diphosphates or Q₁-groups making up 0.1 to 30% by weight relative to the total phosphorus content of the finished material, and b) according to X-ray diffractometric measurements and relative to the total weight of the finished material, 30 to 99.9% by weight of a main crystal phase consisting of Ca₂K_(1−x)Na_(1+x)(PO₄)₂, where x=0.1 to 0.9, is contained in the bone replacement material and 0.1 to 20% by weight of a substance selected from the group consisting of Na₂CaP₂O₇, K₂CaP₂O₇, Ca₂P₂O₇ and the mixtures thereof is contained as a secondary crystal phase, and c) the X-ray amorphous phases contained besides the main crystal phase jointly make up 0.1 to 70% by weight relative to the total weight of the finished material, obtainable by mixing raw materials containing (in % by weight) 28-33 CaO, 8.5-13 Na₂O, 9.5-15 K₂O, 1.5-3 MgO and 0.1-4 SiO₂ and treating the aforesaid mixture with H₃PO₄ in an amount corresponding to 40-52 P₂O₅, SiO₂ or MgO or a mixture thereof making up at least 1% by weight, homogenizing and drying the mixture and subjecting it to a step-by-step thermal treatment lasting 1-2 h at 350-450° C., 750-850° C. and 950-1,050° C. respectively, melting the mixture at between 1,550 and 1,650° C., holding it at the melting temperature for between 10 and 60 minutes and finally cooling the mixture in a spontaneous or temperature-controlled manner, grinding it, if necessary, and sintering it to obtain moulded bodies.
 2. A bone replacement material according to claim 1, wherein additionally one or more of the chain phosphates NaPO₃, KPO₃ and mixtures thereof are contained in an amount ranging between 0.1 and 10% by weight, which chain phosphates can be detected as Q₂-groups using ³¹P-NMR measurements.
 3. A bone replacement material according to claim 1, wherein x ranges between 0.2 and 0.9.
 4. A bone replacement material according to claim 1, wherein the secondary crystal phase contains a silicate phase corresponding to the SiO₂ content.
 5. A bone replacement material according to claim 1, wherein additionally magnesium in an amount ranging up to 10% by weight, calculated as MgO and relative to the weight of the finished material, is contained.
 6. A bone replacement material according to claim 1, wherein the ortho-phosphate phase represented by Q₀-groups makes up 75 to 99% by weight.
 7. A bone replacement material according to claim 6, wherein the ortho-phosphate phase represented by Q₀-groups makes up 78 to 95% by weight.
 8. A bone replacement material according to claim 1, wherein the diphosphate phase represented by Q₁-groups makes up 1 to 22% by weight, preferably 5 to 16% by weight.
 9. A bone replacement material according to claim 8, wherein the diphosphate phase represented by Q₁-groups makes up 5 to 16% by weight.
 10. A bone replacement material according to claim 1, wherein the secondary crystal phase makes up 0.1 to 15% by weight.
 11. A bone replacement material according to claim 9, wherein the secondary crystal phase makes up 1 to 15% by weight.
 12. A bone replacement material according to claim 1, wherein the total solubility ranges between 30 and 500 μg/mg, relative to the starting material if the test is carried out in 0.2M TRIS-HCl buffer solution at pH=7.4, T=37° C. using a grain size fraction of 315-400 μm, the duration of the test being 120 h and the ratio of weighed-in sample to buffer solution being 50 mg to 40 ml.
 13. A bone replacement material according to claim 1, wherein the coefficient of expansion ranges between 12 and 18x10⁻⁶K⁻¹, measured using a dilatometer.
 14. A bone replacement material according to claim 1, wherein the pH value of the surface changes by at least 0.7 units, preferably at least 1.5 units, towards the neutral point within the alkaline range if the material is stored in deionized water at room temperature for 72 hours or heated up to 60° C. for 1 hour at a pressure of 1-3 bars and rinsed with deionized water.
 15. A bone replacement material according to claim 1, wherein said material is provided in combination with a metallic implant surface.
 16. A bone replacement material according to claim 1, wherein said material is provided in the form of granulated materials, ceramic bodies or ceramic sheets. 